Joseph melan



(No Model.) 4

w J. MBLAN.

VAULT FOR OEILINGS, BRIDGES, &c.

Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT prion.

JOSEPH MELAN, OF BRUNN, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

VAULT FOR CEILINGS, BRIDGES, 81.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,054, datedSeptember 12, 1893.

Application filed May 17, 1893. Serial No. 174,596. (No model.) Patentedin Austria-Hungary October 23, 1892, No. 60,937

and No. 44,605.

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MELAN, professor at the Imperial and RoyalTechnical High School at Briinn, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at Briinn, in the Province of Moravia, intheEmpire of Austria- Hungary,haveinvented certain newand usefulImprovements in Vaults for Ceilings, Bridges,

or Bridge-Roads, (for which Letters Patent of Austria-Hungary have beengranted, No. 60,937 and No. 44,605, and dated October 23, 1892;) and Ido hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilied in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel construction in fire-proof archesforbridges, viaducts, the ceiling of vaults and the like, the objectsbeing to provide an arch that possesses equal or greater strength thanthe ones in general use but which will be considerably lighter; toprovide an arch having sufficient resistance to support an unequallydistributed load without injury, and to provide an arch that can beeasily constructed and that will be inexpensive.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,--Figure 1 is a transverse section of anarch constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentarytransverse sections of the ends of the arched ribs and the girders orbeams.

Referring now to said drawingsB indicates the abutments or longitudinalgirders or beams between which the arches are made, convenientlyconsisting of I-iron, and A the ribs of the arch curved to conform tothe intrados of the arch and with it stands flush. These ribs A are madeof rolled I or T iron, riveted iron plates, or the like, that is to saythese ribs are made of metallic beams that are stiff transversely. Forlong spans I have found riveted iron plates most advantageous,

but for shorter spans I or T iron can be employed. The ends of thecurved ribs are beveled as at a in Fig. 3 to fit between the uprightportion orweb b of the longitudinal beams or girders B, or they can bebeveled on two sides as at a and a in Fig.4 to fit against the web b andflange b of the longitudinal beams or girders B. The said ribs arelocated at intervals between the beams or girders and it will be notedthat if the ends thereof are fitted nicely a stilt and rigid connectionwill be made between the ribs and beams or girders,but to insure suchrigid connection I prefer to employ wedge plates 0 that are forced inbetween the beveled ends aof the ribs and the beams or girders, andwhich serve to hold the ribs rigidly in place in an obvious manner. Itis manifest that I can bolt or rivet the ribs and girders if foundconvenient. After this frame work isconstructed the centering is thenconstructed below the ribs A and a filling D of rammed concrete or thelike is built that covers the sides of the ribs and ex tends between thesame. The upwardly projecting portions of beams or girdersB are thencovered with a coating of rammed concrete, and then a layer 61 of rubbleor other light filling material is placed upon the concrete filling, andupon this layer or filling all the pavement or flooring can be built.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the arch or vaultcan be easily and quickly built with the minimum of labor, as I obviatebolting or riveting, which is a decided improvement as it reduced thecost of construction. And then, further, it makes a lighter vault orarch capable of withstanding great strains. Moreover, the strains towhich the concrete vault is subjected are reduced, and notably when theload is unequally distributed upon two adjoining panels, for in thiscase the strain is borne for the most part by the ribs, therebyincreasing the bearing strength of the vault.

I claim as my invention 1. A vault or arch consisting of abutments,beams or girders, arched ribs rigidly connected with said abutments,beams or girders, and a filling of concrete or the like between saidribs, substantially as described.

2. Avault or arch consisting of abutments,

10 wedge plates between the ends of said ribs and said beams 01'girders, and a filling of concrete or the like between said ribs,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix znysign ature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MELAN.

Witnesses:

ALFRED MUSILE, KRO ATZ.

